According to a report from British media, Ukraine has paused its attacks on oil tankers near the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, following a request from US Vice President JD Vance. The cessation of Ukrainian operations stems from US concerns that such strikes could further destabilize oil markets and harm the interests of American companies.

Ukraine has suspended drone strikes on oil tankers near the Novorossiysk port, as reported by the Financial Times on July 12, citing Ukrainian officials and informed sources. The request was made by Vice President Vance during a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on July 31. Since then, Ukraine has not launched any drone attacks on tankers in the vicinity of Novorossiysk.

The oil transported by tankers near the Novorossiysk port originates from Kazakhstan, traveling through a pipeline over 1,500 kilometers long to the terminal operated by the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) in the port. The report suggests that the US government is concerned that Ukrainian attacks could lead to losses for American business interests. The White House, the US State Department, and the Vice President's office have not responded to the report.

In a separate report by Reuters, American oil giants Chevron and ExxonMobil hold minority stakes in the Caspian Pipeline Consortium. Multiple officials told the Financial Times that Ukraine has agreed not to attack CPC infrastructure or non-Russian vessels, provided these ships are not subject to Ukrainian sanctions and are not transporting Russian oil or other goods.

"We have listened very carefully to the requests of our American partners," a senior Ukrainian official stated, adding that Ukraine has established a "mechanism" to respond to US demands. According to informed sources, Ukraine agreed to the US request in hopes of obtaining permission to produce Patriot interceptor missiles and purchasing hundreds of them before winter arrives.

Earlier, Bloomberg reported that Ukraine has committed to avoiding attacks on specific non-Russian oil tankers and Black Sea port infrastructure. Ukraine has recently intensified its assaults on Russian energy facilities, affecting Kazakhstan and Western oil majors. Informed sources noted that Ukrainian drone strikes on the Black Sea port led to the CPC losing one-fifth of its oil loading capacity in July. The Russian Foreign Ministry has accused Ukraine of attempting to inflict irreparable damage on the CPC, calling on the international community to condemn Ukraine's attacks on oil tankers at the Black Sea port.